How to Build a Team that (Actually) Embraces Inclusiveness

In my work with teams, I found that most people describe themselves as "almost always" or "always" inclusive. Yet, too often, I've seen those same people demonstrate subtle acts of exclusion and discriminatory mindsets that keep their co-workers off the dance floor. A few years ago, a young woman from South East Asia presented some promising new product research results in a department review. After the meeting, an executive intended to compliment her…

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30 August 2020

Leadership

Winning the War for Talent

One of the many pleasures of living in Singapore is being able to experience an incredible diversity of architectural design. From the sweeping vista of Marina Bay to colonial period buildings like Raffles Hotel, and shop houses dating back to the 1840’s, there is no shortage of design to inspire the imagination while serving a functional purpose. Good job design should do the same – inspire and motivate while meeting the needs of…

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29 July 2019

Team Research

Article Review: Reducing Team Burnout

In his HBR article, "To Reduce Burnout on Your Team, Give People a Sense of Control", the author, Andrew Wittman, observes that team dynamics play a key role in workplace stress. He argues that “being part of a team can be a quick road to disappointment, frustration, and burnout, especially when some team members work harder than others, when some are on time and others are consistently late, when there’s drama and tension resulting…

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1 April 2018

Team Research / Virtual Teams

Too Many Cooks In Your Virtual Team’s Kitchen?

As organizations become more team-centric, and as globalization drives interaction across regions and time zones, the use of virtual teams has grown rapidly (SHRM, 2012). For organizations, the advantages of being able to leverage talent and resources across geographies and time zones can be a source of competitive advantage. For the individuals chosen to lead these virtual teams, the challenges associated with leadership are amplified by the nature of being virtual rather than…

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4 February 2018

Leadership / Team Research

Current Research: Lean Team Values and Relationships

Lean teams are the benchmark for best practices in manufacturing and field service organizations. With their emphasis on autonomy, continuous process improvement, and value creation, the appeal of lean teams has broadened to include most every function in today's flatter, leaner organizations. Yet, despite the popularity and well-documented benefits of lean teams, many fail to keep improving their work practices and value creation. Why do some lean teams meet or exceed expectations, while…

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12 November 2017

Leadership

Team Leadership: Taming the Lone Wolf

If you lead teams for a long enough time, you are likely to recruit or inherit a 'lone wolf' - a talented, capable individual who has a tough time fitting into your team. Smart, capable, and willing to challenge the status quo, you see their value; yet, often they are high-maintenance and disruptive to the rest of the team. Moreover, you typically don’t have the luxury of spending substantial amounts of ‘handling time’…

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5 November 2017

Performance / Team Research

The Paradox of Team Performance Pressure

The same pressures that motivate expert teams - high-stakes and elevated expectations - may also result in behaviors that undermine their performance.

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15 October 2017

Team Research / Virtual Teams

4 Steps to a Successful Virtual Team

All teams face challenges in their quest to be effective. The reality for virtual teams is that they face greater complexity and uncertainty as they strive to overcome the barriers of time, distance, and communications. When successful, virtual teams enable the best talent to come together to amplify energy, competencies, and creativity. But, the challenges should not be underestimated. Current Virtual Team Research The dawn of the World Wide Web brought with it…

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1 October 2017

Leadership

The Discipline of a Team Turnaround

If you aspire to lead, then at some point in your career you will likely find yourself responsible for turning around a troubled team. The trouble may come from within the team, external forces, or both. For me, it was both. My first GM role was leading the turnaround of a loss-making business unit, within a shrinking division, of a once-great company. This company had missed the next big wave in its industry…

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20 August 2017

Performance

Google’s Habits of Highly-Effective Teams

As one of the world's most visible and valuable companies, with a corporate motto of "Don't be evil", the bar is high for Google in terms of expectations at all levels. The February 25, 2016 article "What Google Learned from Its Quest to Build the Perfect Team", published by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Charles Duhigg in the New York Times Magazine, perfectly captures Google's passion for excellence. For anyone interested in reading an in-depth case…

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13 August 2017